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Bless all the caregivers in the world
because without them our lives would be challenging.

February is the month of love and we want to
take this time to thank all caregivers.Being called into the role as the “giver of care” is not an easy task
for many, especially when it wasn’t in your plans to be.We (the nurses of The Rollin’ RN) chose to
take on the job as a giver of care.We
chose the field of nursing, many years ago, because we wanted to lend aid to
others due to illnesses.But that was
our choice.We knew we would spend many
hours during our shifts taking care of others, not family members, but
strangers to the best of our trained knowledge.Now that is the key word in this message “trained”; there are many years
of nursing school between the both of us.But suddenly, our spouses were tossed into the role of caregiver when
that day occurred, the day that led us
into a life with spinal cord injury.They could have easily decided to walk away, as we are well aware that
some do, but they chose to stick it out.

We have asked
numerous partners to share their own thoughts on being thrust into the world of
the “unknown” black hole of endless 24/7 care for their loved one and why they
chose that path vs. having a paid caregiver.We are here to share some thoughts and to say thank you for all they do.

“I am my daughter's full
time caregiver.
There is no way anyone else will give her the level of care that I do.
Way outside what I can afford.
Most home health agencies won't even care for children or provide respite.
I am a Survivor. I absolutely will not leave my paralyzed daughter with just
anyone.”

“My
husband knows me better than anyone. He jumped right in before I left rehab.
Plus we’re both private people. About 7 years ago he broke a leg so we tried
outside help. Hell no!!!! 4 days was enough of incompetence. So we figured it
out. We’re 61 and 60 and doing just fine.”

“XXX
says he didn’t trust anyone else to do it besides me, certain things that have
to be done were too embarrassing for him to have anyone but me do and we
couldn’t and still can’t afford to pay for outside help.”

“I think it depends on
the situation. My husband has been my caretaker almost 13 years, accident at
49. We have an amazing relationship and even a more amazing life. I’m a C6
complete. We spend 4-6 months per year traveling so it would be hard to have
anyone else anyway.”

“It’s
hard to find good qualified help that are dependable.”

“We
do not have the money to hire help.”

Based on these comments, it is clear that
hiring outside caregivers is not always a feasible option.It is also evident that many prefer to care
for their loved ones because they feel they can provide better, safer, and more
personal care than a hired outsider. With
that in mind, we would like to share
some ideas for taking care of your own well-being, while functioning in the
role as the main caregiver.

·Don't
try to do everything yourself. Ask other family members to help and find out
what other type of help may be available.

·Take
care of yourself by eating well and getting enough rest.

·Make
sure you don't ignore your own health while you are caring for your loved one.
Keep up with your own doctor visits, and make sure to take your medicines
regularly, if needed.

·Find
a support group to attend.

·Schedule
time for yourself. Get out of the house to do things that you enjoy like run
errands, or go shopping.

Happy
Valentine’s Day to all and to our givers of care THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO!

Patty Kunze has been a Registered Nurse since 1983. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Nursing and worked several years in a Spinal Cord Injury Unit at the local Veterans Administration Medical Center as a new graduate. She has been a flight transport nurse for Neonatal Intensive Care, an assistant manager of Labor and Delivery, and an instructor of nursing students. In 2009, she was involved in an auto accident which left her paralyzed (T3-4 complete paraplegic) from chest down. But she continues her nursing career while sitting in her wheelchair as a nurse paralegal and writing articles for others with spinal cord injuries as The Rollin RN ™.

Roberta Palmer has been a Registered Nurse for 20 years. She has knowledge in Family Practice, Allery and Immunology, Special Pharmacy Medication and Counseling, and she is a RN Health Coach. In 2014, she was involved in an ATV accident which also left her paralyzed (T3-4 complete paraplegic) from chest down.